SPITTING IMAGE
by randomle26
Summary: [AU ROBIN-CENTRIC ONE SHOT; WITH ROBRAE] When you hear that you're the 'spitting image' of your family member, usually…you're pretty proud. But just because you look like them doesn't necessarily mean you have to act like them.


**AN: Here's a random role-reversal, AU one shot. I was originally going to do this for Raven, but it seemed kinda cliché (and once you finish reading, you'll get why). And I'm a hardcore ROBRAE fan so I wasn't really going to use anyone but Dick (maybe Roy or Wally but likely not). I hope you enjoy- by ignoring the errors that you find.**

**Thing to note, just for this one shot, Bruce Wayne is just a name to him.**

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_Age: 8_

_Star City, California_

_18:08 p.m._

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'What the hell?! Where's dinner?!' demanded a voice of anger- a voice with a tone that the members of the household was _too_ familiar with.

A woman made a huffing sound at the angry presence. 'Would you calm down?' she impatiently requested, 'The casserole isn't ready yet.' Her _husband_ screeched, 'And why not, _honey_?!' The woman rolled her eyes, 'I had to feed the kid.'

'You mean that little shit gets a meal before I do?!' he asked with more anger (if that's even possible). The man clenched his hair in frustration, 'Where is the little bastard? DICK GRAYSON GET YOUR ASS IN HERE NOW BEFORE I GO HUNTING FOR IT!'

Although he was hesitant to do so- he did know it would be much worse had he ignored the command- Dick quickly ran from his sitting spot on the backyard dirt towards the living room. 'Shit Dick,' his aunt called, 'you're getting your muddy shoes on the damn carpet!'

Dick could handle his aunt and ignored her easily, only looking at his uncle. 'Did you need something, Uncle Slade?' he addressed so formally. The boy's uncle glared at him, 'Why do you ask questions like that, huh? Who do you think you are, the Queen of England?' Dick shook his head, 'I don't know. I'm sorry.' He should've expected it- he _really _should've- but the boy still flinched when he felt his uncle backhand his small face. 'You're damn right you're sorry,' his uncle said as the boy struggled to get up off the carpet.

'Boys! Don't get your blood on the carpet,' said his aunt, but the uncle ignored her and said, 'Shut your damn mouth, Lillian!' (1) He didn't really say 'damn'-the word he did use wasn't meant for Dick's child ears. His uncle glared at his trembling form, 'Where the hell is all the food Dick?' Dick's hands shook at his side, 'I had dinner after school. I'm sorry.' He growled at the boy, 'Of course you did. Well I want it back!' Dick raised his eyebrow in confusion, 'I'm sorry, Uncle Slade. I can't give you the food back.'

The boy's uncle gripped his hair, dragging the boy to the first floor bathroom. He threw Dick on the floor near the toilet. Still holding his hair, he pushed his head closer to the open toilet, stuffed his thick finger in the boy's mouth, and gagged him until he began upchucking the tuna sandwich he had for dinner.

Dick wiped at his small mouth and cried, already knowing that if he was seen crying, it would upset his father's brother. He was just lucky that Slade decided to back off. Slade wiped his fingers on the towel and said, 'Next time, you eat _after_ I do. You got it?!' Dick obediently nodded, tears streaming down his face, 'Yes, Uncle Slade.' Slade rolled his eyes, 'Clean your face and do your damn homework.' Dick could hear his uncle mumbling, 'Sure, my brother and his pathetic wife had to die on that trapeze, and I get stuck with his sad excuse of a _son_.'

Slade closed the door, leaving Dick with his final sentence ringing in his brain. He wiped his mouth on the towel, attempting to wipe his tears as well but his tears continued to cascade down his red cheeks. He tightly gripped his hair with his tiny fists and screamed into his knees. After hearing his uncle head up the stairs, Dick trudged out of the bathroom to see his aunt waiting for him- ice pack in hand. He gratefully took the ice pack- out of the two adults, his aunt was less _menacing. _

'Told you not to mess with him, kid,' scolded his aunt. Dick sniffed, 'Why does Uncle Slade hate me?' His aunt grumbled, 'It was your own damn fault, kid. You shouldn't have angered him; hope you learned your lesson.'

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_Age: 16_

_Jump City, New York_

_12:24 p.m._

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Dick fell on his side after the brutal push. He wiped at his bloody nose and stared up at his attacker. The boy in front of him laughed heartily, 'Get up, you damn pussy.' With a glare, Dick responded, 'I'm not going to fight you, Jason.' Jason Todd spit at his feet, 'That's because you're so fucking weak.'

'Just because I don't hit back, doesn't mean I'm not courageous,' Dick said. Jason and his friends continued to laugh mockingly. The bully taunted, 'Look at this, boys? You're so pathetic.'

'Kick his ass, Jay,' encouraged his girlfriend. Jason bent down on his knees and punched the ebony-haired teenager until his upper lip and nose were bleeding. Jason stood up and stared at the fallen form of Dick Grayson. He continued to taunt, 'You fucking cunt; you can't even defend yourself. Can't you even hit back…you know like you're uncle?'

Dick's eyes widened and he growled, 'I'm nothing like my uncle.' It was obvious that he was ashamed of his uncle (currently in prison), and Jason could tell that he picked at a nerve. It was obvious he wasn't planning to stop.

'What's wrong Dick? The apple doesn't fall far from the tree right? Hey, if your Uncle's _that_ bad, I wonder what your mom or dad's like.'

'Shut up!' Dick necessitated harshly, giving the other teenager a roundhouse kick (that he was proud of) after punching him in the stomach. Jason doubled over in pain, falling to the concrete ground and uninterruptedly groaning in pain. Kneeling down on Jason, he reciprocated the punches that were performed earlier on the fallen tormenter. Dick also might've heard some crying as well. The gasps of the audience brought him to his reality. Getting off the broken boy, the teenager did everything he could to run to his car and drive away as fast as possible.

Dick stared at his hands immediately after he parked his car (in front of his house). He noticed a few drops of Jason's blood on the knuckles of his middle finger and index finger.

It didn't scare Dick that he could do _that_ kind of damage- he learn simple self-defense (from the cop that found his uncle beating him) but he never really used the techniques on someone. What scared him was how good it felt. The feeling of overpowering, dominating, and _winning_ was… indescribable.

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_Age: 22_

_Gotham City, New Jersey_

_20:48 p.m._

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Dick and his girlfriend of four years, Rachel Roth, walked into the shared apartment, silence hanging around the couple. But once the door was slammed, uncomfortable silence was looking like a dream.

'I can't believe you don't see what's wrong with this,' argued Dick, 'You're leading him on. I can't even tell if you're doing it on purpose or not.' Rachel scoffed austerely, 'I'm not leading him on, Dick. He's my coworker. And it's not like I can control what he does on his Saturday nights- I don't have _that_ kind of power.' Growling at her, he said, 'He just thought he could join our dinner…our fucking _anniversary_ dinner!' Rachel sighed and crossed her arms across her chest, 'I work with the guy, and I had to be polite.'

'He seemed awfully friendly and knew a lot about what you like to eat,' he continued to ghostly accuse. She grimaced, 'Well he does see me eating in the office. And I don't appreciate the tone you're using, Dick.'

'Have you gone out before and you didn't tell me?' he asked. Rachel clenched her fists and dramatically waved them in the air as she defended herself, 'I have never cheated on you with him, okay? Shit Dick, Wally is my _coworker_, nothing more. Why won't that process through your thick skull?!'

'Oh so now I'm stupid?! I'm sorry if I've never gone to an Ivy League school like you and _Wally_,' he mocked. She pulled at her hair, 'You are so…oh my gods, I don't even know what adjective to use.'

With an eye roll, Dick commented, 'Yeah you do, you're just so afraid to get angry. After the four years we've been together, you only give me small smiles and maybe a chuckle. But I know you, Rachel, and just one comment will set you off into a fucking emotional frenzy.'

She growled, 'Says the drama queen who's freaking out over _nothing._' Dick muttered under his breath, 'Shut up.' Rachel continued to taunt, 'You know that you're reading too much into it and I'm not cheating on you. But you're too damn proud to admit you're wrong and you get a little judgmental-'

'I said "Shut Up", Rachel!' he repeated, closing his eyes and striking her where she stood. When he opened his eyes, he saw Rachel kneeling on the carpet floor, clutching the side of her face. Dick stared at his hands in horror and stuttered, 'Rachel…I…I didn't mean…I don't…'

Looking down at her once more, he noticed she wasn't crying…she didn't even look angry. She looked up at him, worry in her eyes, and lightly murmured, 'Dick…'

Dick stared at his hands, then at Rachel, and back at his hands. He struck someone…but it didn't feel good. Not like before. Unable to take it, Dick collapsed near her on his knees. He buried his face into his hands and cried, 'I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…I didn't mean to…' Just as he was about to look to see if she had runaway from him, he felt a pair of skinny arms wrap themselves around his torso.

With one hand, Rachel removed her hands to stare at his tortured face. Dick drowned himself in her amethyst eyes. In one quick movement, Dick wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her neck. He repeatedly murmured how sorry he was and how much he loved her, hoping it would remain permanent in her skin. Rachel calmly rubbed his back and ran her hand through his hair.

'I didn't mean to, Rachel. I'm so sorry…I don't know why…'

She did. Dick was used to the aggression- responses of fists instead of words. She knew the stories of his aunt and uncle abusing him after the death of his parents, and the bullies he faced in school. Dick never hit her before so it didn't bother her as much as it really should've.

She knew he would never be his uncle. She would make sure of it.

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_Age: 32_

_Gotham City, New Jersey_

_2:42 a.m._

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'Thank god you're okay,' she murmured against his police uniform. Normally, Dick was all for the extra affection from Rachel, but not today. Today, he felt like punching multiple things while kicking other things.

He immediately pushed Rachel off, stomped to their kitchen, and began grabbing the beer out of the refrigerator. 'Juliet liked our birthday gift,' Rachel said, interrupting his focus.

'Considering she told us it was what she wanted, I can understand why she might like it,' he sarcastically responded. Rachel gasped, 'What's wrong with you? You're being grumpier then usual. Is it work again?'

He scoffed and popped the cap of the Budweiser off, 'I'm not in the mood.' She grimaced, 'It's almost three in the morning, Dick; you shouldn't be drinking. And-'

'Rachel, stop testing me,' he warned. Rachel shook her head, 'Your behavior's not acceptable, Dick.' He raised his eyebrow, 'My "behavior"?'

'This is the fourth time you missed something important to Juliet. You missed her first soccer game. You missed her winning second place in the spelling bee. You missed her singing in the choir concert.'

'Well I'm sorry,' he growled, 'I'm sorry if I'm busy working and trying to earn some money for our family.' She shook her head, 'Don't do that, Dick.' He growled, 'Why not? You know that the only damn reason I'm working so much is because you stopped to be a PTA mom.'

'If I go back to work, will you try to be more involved in your daughter's life?' she asked. He scoffed and chugged the first beer. Throwing the can away, the grabbed the second one. Rachel took it out of his hand and looked her husband in the eye, 'Dick. Stop.'

He snarled, 'Don't tell me what to do, Rachel.' Her face scrunched up and she said, 'Based on the stories I heard from you, you're acting like you're _uncle_.'

Dick grabbed Rachel by the shoulders and slammed her against the wall. She whimpered underneath him and he said, 'Don't you_ ever_ compare me to him. I'm nothing like him.' (2) She challenged quietly, 'Then prove it to me.' He growled and threw her on to the floor.

'Mommy? Daddy? What's wrong?' asked a soft voice. Dick looked up and saw his five-year-old daughter standing and staring at her father, clutching her teddy bear for dear life. She was most likely awakened from the sound.

'Nothing's wrong, Juliet. Go back to bed,' he muttered and look down at his wife. Juliet walked further towards her fallen mother- who was trying to get back up- and asked, 'Is mommy okay?' Dick clenched his fist, 'Juliet, I said go back to bed.' Juliet looked wide-eyed at her father, 'But what's wrong with mommy?'

He screamed in anger, 'Why won't you listen to me? I'm your father, that means you do as I say!' Just as Dick was about to go for the girl (with his fist), Rachel pushed Juliet out of the way, her feet causing Dick to trip on the floor.

Juliet screeched, 'Mommy, what's wrong with Daddy?' Rachel sighed and kissed her little girl's forehead, 'Nothing, Julie. Go upstairs and go to bed.' Juliet began protesting, 'But D-Daddy was going t-to-' Rachel gave her a look, 'Juliet, listen to Mommy.' The little girl looked back and forth between her parents and nodded, running off with her teddy bear.

Dick was getting back up on his feet and was headed towards the stairwell, until his wife blocked his path. 'You can't go after her, Dick. You can hit me all you want, but you don't touch her like that,' Rachel threatened. He growled, 'Get the fuck out of my way, Rachel.'

She shook her head, 'This isn't you, Dick. Where's the man I fell in love with?' Dick chuckled mockingly, 'He's right here. All damaged and broken, just like you like them right?' Rachel gasped and said, 'Please Dick. Stop this.'

She continued, 'I know you may look like your Uncle Slade, but that doesn't mean you have to act like him! Where's Dick Grayson?' Dick charged and grabbed Rachel by her arms. As he dragged her towards the kitchen, he said, 'I told you to _never_ compare me to that bastard!'

Rachel turned her face away, 'Dick, please stop!' For the second time tonight, Dick through Rachel towards the wall. Her body slumped against it until she was lying on her side. Looking down at her, his eyes widened when he saw her head was beginning to bleed against their carpet.

'Rachel?'

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**How was that?**

**(1) I think Lillian was the name of Rose Wilson's mom.**

**(2) On the show, Robin has this internal/external battle with Slade and whether or not he was like him so I tried to incorporate that.**

**I hope you all enjoyed it!**

**Please Read and Review!**


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